HYDERABAD: Sughars touc­hed burning issues of society including poverty, energy crisis, love, hatred, tragic incidents of bomb blasts, terrorism, high-fever politicking in the country and the need for spreading Bhittai’s message to help curb extremism, which was fast spreading its tentacles in Sindh.

They amused audience at a Sufi evening held at the Sindh University’s campus of the International University of Peace, Sufism and Modern Sciences (IUPSMS) in Bhit Shah on Saturday night. The programme lasted throughout the night.

Sughar Ghulam Rasool Solangi who came from Sehwan enthralled audience with recitation of his poetry ‘Muhabbat Cheez Mahangi, qeemat kahen na lagaye aa’ (Love is an expensive thing, no one can offer its price).

Qazi Badaruddin of Kotri read out his poetry ‘Shah jo har shair shan waro tho lagay’ (Shah’s each verse is enchanting) which received accolades and thunderous applause.

Aijaz Rehmatullah from Jamshoro introduced folk literature in a unique manner by reciting a verse ‘Sadeenda lok adab aahin, kando maanhun saan pyar aahiyan’ (I am called folk literature and I love people). He also presented a lengthy poetry in which he had used all the words which had dot-less letters in Sindhi alphabet.

Ghulam Muhammad Mangi of Sukkur used the folk story of Umer and Marvi in his poetry ‘Umer je tunhinjay khilan te khilyas ta moo te zameer khilando’ (Marvi says: Umer! If I smile at your smile, my consciousness will laugh at me). His poetry greatly amused the audience.

Afterwards, two children Rahet and Intikhab Ali Burdi, aged 10 and 12 years, came on stage and recited verses of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. The children had remembered by heart complete Shah Jo Risalo and challenged the audience to ask them about any verse from the Risalo and they would recite the complete poetry of which it was part within seconds.

One of the organisers asked them to recite Shah’s verses starting with letters of Sindhi alphabets that sounded like ‘P’, ‘B’, ‘F’ and ‘A’ and they astounded the audience by having recited all such verses, prompting acting vice-chancellor of Sindh University Prof Dr Parveen Shah who presided over the programme to announce an award of Rs3,000 each for the children.

Later, a play was presented by the Murk Theatre that highlighted the importance of love with humanity and stressed the need for loving humanity while keeping religions aside.

In the drama, the actors tried to convey the message that hatred was the worst thing in the world and love was the only form with which one could conquer the entire world.

Addressing the audience, pro-vice chancellor of Sufi university Prof Dr Aslam Parvez Memon said that he had organised the Sufi evening to entertain students and faculty members and convey message of Bhittai to them.

He said that 279 students had enrolled in the university within a short span of time since the establishment of the campus in 2013. The charter of Sufi University had been passed by the Sindh Assembly and it would soon become a fully-fledged university, he said.

He said that Sindh government was not releasing funds to the university which posed a serious hindrance to their efforts to develop the campus and promote higher education.

Sajadah Nasheen of Bhittai Syed Waqar Hussain Shah who was chief guest on the occasion pledged to extend all possible support to help the campus develop and progress.

Prof Dr Parveen Shah said the Sughar evening in this area was a proof of tolerance inherent in Sindhi culture and society. Rs50 million had been approved by Sindh government for each campus of Sindh University and the money would soon be released to the campuses. “Hope it will help us solve problems of the campuses to some extent,” she added.

Hussain Bux Loond, Nazir Memon from Matiari and others kept the audience spellbound throughout the night.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2015

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